Study Links Pacific 'Victoria Mode' to North India's Drying Climate

A study by the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology attributes climatic shifts in north-west India to the 'Victoria Mode' (VM), a recurring oceanic pattern in the North Pacific. Researchers found that the region's hot, semi-arid steppe zone expanded from 25.7% to 33.1% between 1951 and 2020, while temperate zones shrunk.

The negative phase of the VM is identified as a driver for reduced moisture flow across northern India, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal. Scientists warn that these expanding arid conditions threaten food security and could lead to significant population displacement.

Editor's note: Accurate summary of the research paper's findings regarding the 'Victoria Mode' and the resulting climatic shifts in India.